Crippled Love
by beyondamirrorsimage
Summary: Takes place at the end of HouseS6E21. Cuddy and House's relationship just blossomed, but there will be challenges ahead. Will they make it work or suffer in the end? Chapter 1 - The Collision. Disclaimer- I do not own House
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**THE COLLISION **

How many moments past as they gazed into the depths of each other's eyes? How long had they yearned for that caress of the other's flesh against their own? How many years of pain, fear, uncertainty and loneness did each endure before this moment came? These were not the questions swirling in their minds as they intertwined their fingers together and confirmed their undying love for the other. Instead all each one felt was the intense desire to taste, to feel, to love and to finally be loved...

His callused fingers brushed the sweet, velvety flesh of her neck as their lips teased each other, yearning to kiss again but not wanting to rush into the moment. Cuddy chuckled as House's unshaved face tickled her cheek, and before he had the opportunity to dive into those delicious plump lips, she jerked to the side grasping his arm to silently lead him towards her desired destination. Neither spoke, Cuddy lead, House followed; weaving through the darkness of his apartment until finally stopping at the foot of his welcoming bed. His arm coiled around the small of her waist and spun her around; he needed to see her beautiful eyes embrace him. The faint breath of blossoms kissed her skin, and the aroma seemed to intoxicate House to the point where his head began to spin.

In a moment like this it would have been expected that the two, in the heat of passion and lust, to throw themselves into the void of frenzy and begin to tear into the other to fulfill that animalistic need of excitement; but with House and Cuddy this was not the case. Each knew the strenuous road that destiny had them travel, to be where they stood now was a miracle; therefore they took pleasure in allowing themselves to unveil the other slowly, to explore each other's body and to appreciate that frozen stage of time.

A heavenly scent of aged amber and fresh linen folded over the lovers as they fell upon the large bed. Cuddy sunk deep into the softness of the bed; her hair, now loose from her ponytail, spilled ribbons of black across the white of the pillows. House hovered over her, propping himself up to gaze down upon the mortal goddess before him. She was beautiful, more now than he could ever remember; age was definitely graceful to her. Daring blue hues glared through a thick of onyx lashes soaking his image in, her olive skin was fresh and the color contrasted nicely with the white bra and panties that she still had on. Her body was toned, and as she shifted and moved he could see the silhouette of muscles flexing and contracting underneath her flesh. He lowered himself slightly, enough to place his quivering lips upon the crest of her collarbone; she exhaled a soft moan which enticed him to deepen his touch upon her. As his lips trailed down her body, his free hand navigated up her right leg; he loved the feel of her body and enjoyed that given the simplest of touches made Cuddy's skin shiver with anticipation. House was a master at this game; knowing that when his fingers brushed against her cotton panties, to only allow them to linger a mere second before continuing to trail up her torso; to not give her instant satisfaction but make her body beg him for more. Buried memories began flooding back to the center of his mind; he remembered that her rib cage was very ticklish, and if tantalized enough would throw her into a fit of giggles. He remembered that she didn't like the feeling of her neck being nibbled on and that she would immediately scrunch up if there was too much sensation placed upon that part. He even remembered those exact secret spots that would make her body explode and have her cry out his name… his eyes filled with devilish amusement at those thoughts.

Cuddy tilted her head up, her eyes closed as she concentrated upon the sensations he created within her body. Her hand grasped tight against his upper arm, and she realized exactly how strong his upper body was; of course this was a result of him having to hoist himself up countless of times. As his lips teased her bare skin, she could feel his hard bulge pulsating against her; House had on his jeans still, and it felt as though his manhood was screaming to be released. Her eyes opened and her lips smiled, slowly she raised her leg up and swung it around him, pressing him more upon her but gently guiding his body to switch places with her. She knew his leg must be uncomfortable, plus there was his wounded shoulder. House complied and soon Cuddy was mounted upon him, taking control was her natural instinct. With grace she rose her body up, arching her back slightly and swinging waves of hair away from her face; House watched hypnotized by her exotic movements. Unhooking her bra, she slowly brought her hands forward allowing the straps to fall but to keep the treasure still hidden. House snickered at her tease and raised his hands up to release her own, the bra falling down.

"Hello girls, it's been a long time. Shall I re-introduce myself, or shall we save the formalities for another time?" His voice was horse but coy, with humor tickling his tongue.

Cuddy chuckled as she leaned forward allowing her breast to press against the bare of his chest; he attempted to grab hold of them yet she pulled herself further down, her nipples barely brushing his skin.

"Tease." He grumbled.

Cuddy began nipping at his stomach, only to glare up at his sly comment and smile.

"You like it and you know it."

Her lips, her tongue and her teeth worked in unison as they lashed out upon his naked torso, while her fingers quickly tugged away at his belt...then zipper. Despite the mad passion boiling over in her eyes, she took her time to shred House's jeans from House's body; knowing to take caution with his leg. Soon enough they were heard collapsing somewhere upon the floor, the belt buckle making a slight "Cling" noise as it hit the wooden panels below. His manhood swelled before her; she had forgotten how well endowed he was; Lucas couldn't even compete next to his, and for a moment she cursed herself for falling for less than what she had before her. She knelt up, her fingers ever so gently gliding up and down his calves; House's body was exquisite, so well formed and toned, thick in some places and slender in others. Her eyes danced up and down until finally she caught glimpse of scarred leg. Her fingers immediately swam up to where the scars glistened; but before they could reach she felt his hand grasp a hold of hers'. Her eyes shot to meet his; the expression on his face was that of embarrassment, of shame, as though he felt his handicap made him less of a man. They didn't move, and his grip remained tight around her tiny wrist.

"Trust me." They were the only words she spoke, but her tone was sincere and welcoming. Her eyes remained locked upon his and she saw within them the defense barrier fall down, and in turn he slowly let go of her hand.

She focused again upon the collection of glistening scars tattooed upon his weakened leg. With her fingertips she curiously traced each scar; focusing on the depth and width. His heart pounded against his chest as he watched her perform this unusual motion upon his leg. Never had anyone ever given such attention to that part of his body, usually women ignored it, or shunned away from it; even Lydia seemed to be disturbed by its' monstrous appearance. Cuddy though seemed enchanted by it. A legion of emotions rushed through her as her fingers traced and danced through the map of scars. The first emotions were of sorrow and of personal shame; she felt it was her fault that he ended up living like this, and those scars and his pain a constant reminder of the choices she made. The second emotions were of curiosity and awareness. Though she had seen his leg countless times before it was only through the eyes of a doctor. She would observe it only as a condition, never really piecing its connection to its owner. Now she saw that it was indeed attached to him, and how in some odd and fascinating way that horrid wound complimented his personality, making him the man that he was meant to be. For what many would see as a curse (including House) she began to see it as a work of art.

It took all the control in the world for House to hold back the swell of tears that began forming in his eyes; not only did she fondle his scarred leg, she began placing multiple kisses upon it. The feel of her tongue rolling against the valley of purplish, white tissue threw him into an odd mixture of emotions. His cock burned with the new excitement she created, his heart pounded madly with love for her, and his mind screamed that this was absolute chaos happening. As her lips whispered against the thick flesh, her hand began to fondle his enlarged manhood. He bit down upon his lip as her hand tugged and jerked, caressed and massaged, sending massive waves of heat coursing through him. Her tongue eventually slithered over to him, engulfing his throbbing cock fully into her mouth. His fingers guided through her wavy hair, holding on tight as she moved slowly up and down upon him. It didn't take long until beads of cum formed over his tip; and that is where he stopped her, not wanting to finish this way.

He pulled her up towards him, their mouths colliding in heated madness; neither one breaking away. His strong hands grabbed onto her ass and he swung her over allowing her to again lie beneath him. His manhood pounded against her; its' only barrier the thin cotton panties she still wore. Breaking away from their kiss, he pulled away her panties and tossed them aside; they now touched, he could feel the heat and moisture of her body welcoming him to enter her but he didn't. Instead he leaned down over her, his fingers gently brushing away strands of her hair and he began to nibble slightly upon her earlobe; his manhood just pressing into her entrance. Cuddy closed her eyes her body waiting in anticipation for the joy it was about to experience.

Just then House's lips brushed against her ear and in a deep, sentimental tone he whispered.

_** "Lisa"**_

Her eyes shot open at the call of her name. She had just heard a symphony spoken into her ear than a faint murmured word; she couldn't even remember the last time he acknowledged her by her first name. He could feel her body burn with fever the instant her name emerged from his lips; that was the signal he waited for, at that very moment he plunged himself into her.

They made love multiple times over. Very little words were exchanged between the pair; they were satisfied enough just to explore and remember the canvas of each other's body, and to enjoy the pleasure they created together. Eventually exhaustion (both physical and emotional) encompassed them, placing the pair into an abysmal sleep. By the Creator's hand, their bodies were sculpted to fit perfectly with the other. Where House's body was stiff and limited, Cuddy's was more flexible and her mobility more fluid; therefore her small frame molded beautifully in House's arms and her leg snaked around him, drawing the pair immensely close. Skin to skin, each one cocooning the other as waves of dreams and hope danced in their minds…

Fluorescent green numbers flashed 4:00am on the clock near House's bed. All was silent for the exception of a faint sound of birds waking from their nightly slumber. Cuddy stood at the edge of the bed; her scrubs were back on, her hair was wet from the recent shower she took, and in her hand she held a cup of tea; its' steam rising up into the pale darkness. She didn't move, just content to watch the beast sleeping serenely; upon his belly sprawled openly upon the tasseled bed. What she didn't know was that House was already wide awake. He remained motionless, giving her the illusion that he was at peace. Instead he waited. He could feel her eyes staring down upon him and they burned against the bare of his back. His mind was already formulating theories.

_ Was she attempting to sneak away after realizing the terrible mistake that she made? Perhaps it was really just a hallucination and she only just arrived to check on him. Maybe she isn'teven standing there at all. _

Her body shifted creating the floor boards to creak, giving House the opportunity to wake up and catch her. He too shifted himself up, turning slightly to glare at her, but she didn't move.

"Trying to sneak away are we?" His voice was sore and deep to the ear. "Finally realizing what happened, and decided to make a quick getaway?" He shifted his body weight around and slowly rose to a sitting position upon the bed, his leg ached from all the movement of that night. Cuddy, however, responded only with a gentle smile. As he began to shuffle around she made her way over to him and placed the hot tea and two white pills upon the nightstand. House gazed up at her with questioning eyes.

"Tylenol 3, it's not much but at least it should take the edge off. Your leg must be throbbing by now and your shoulder is pretty banged up. I re-bandaged it while you were asleep." Cuddy gestured her head towards his wounded shoulder and House's eyes followed then finally settling upon the fresh, white bandage upon him.

He was confused by her gestures and unsure what he should do. He turned his gaze back over to her and for a few moments they stared at each other in silence. Then finally Cuddy broke their connection.

"I have to get going. I'm…"

"Listen." House interrupted, his voice scruffy yet sincere. "I won't hold it against you if you end this now. I'm sure by now your thinking with a level head. You're probably in shock and…well…I'm just saying that I won't give you hell if you decide that I'm not what you want." His eyes wilted down resembling an old dog, his look melted Cuddy's heart.

To House's dismay, Cuddy didn't justify his statement with a direct response; instead she placed her hand upon the scruff of his cheek and smiled.

"I want to be home before Rachael gets up. I have a meeting with the oncology department at eleven,then I'm packing up some paperwork and giving myself a long weekend." She paused as she rose up from the bed, then picking up the two pills and laying them in his hand. "I'll be giving you a long weekend too."

There was a seduction in her eyes as she looked down upon him; though he still seemed muddled with thoughts. Leaning over she placed a gentle kiss upon his lips.

"Take the pills and get yourself some extra sleep, you deserve it." Her hand gracefully brushed down his arm as she turned and departed from the room. Moments later House heard his apartment door open and shut, yet he still sat in the same position lost in thought.

Minutes flashed by when he finally came through, a silent decision already formulated the core of his mind. He gazed down upon the pills in his hand and immediately swallowed them dry. Rising up from his bed, he made his way to the bathroom. He needed to get washed and dressed early if he was to beat Cuddy to the hospital….

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	2. Reality Rebuilt

**A/N ~ **_Thank you all for such inspiring reviews. I do apologise for the delay in chapters, this summer has been complete chaos for me; unfortunately i find that I am only capable of writing in the wee hours of the morning, therefore I called upon my inner insomina to help me continue on. I do hope these next two chapters are to your liking and your reviews feed my inspiration, so please continue to leave them! Enjoy, and Chapter 4 won't be far behind. _

Chapter 2

**Reality Rebuilt**

It was suppose to be a typical morning for Cuddy; but as she danced her way through her daily morning routine the thoughts of last night would rise to the front of her mind and a girlish smile would form over her face and her cheeks would grow with a heated fury. His presence was like a ghost upon her; haunting her mind and her body until it felt as though she would lose control over herself. Raw memories, so fresh in her mind, kept tantalizing her; so much that she kept forgetting what she was doing and had to stop and remember the simple tasks she had to perform. It was utter madness. She felt as though she were balancing upon the edge of reality; and though this new sensation terrified her, it was indeed the most thrilling experience she ever would encounter; so therefore she relished the euphoria.

There was a balletic grace to her steps as she quickly moved into the kitchen; her eyes catching the steamy pot of coffee just freshly perked as she simultaneously pushed a silver hoop into her left earlobe. Rachel sat in her highchair giggling to herself as she smashed up cuts of banana upon her cheerios; her attention only breaking when one daring roll of oat would jump from her plastic table and bounce itself upon the floor. Along side of her sat Joan, Rachel's main caregiver when Cuddy was working. She was an elderly woman around her mid 60's; she was once the head nurse for pediatrics but had since retired. Joan had been there since the day Cuddy brought Rachel home and over the last year had became more of a grandmother to the little girl, and a great friend to Cuddy.

Joan seemed content as she sat next to Rachel drinking a hot cup of coffee and reading the morning paper; her brown eyes rising up towards the sound of heels rhythmically prancing upon the painted tiles of the floor. One glance towards Cuddy and the lady chuckled and returned to her reading.

"What is so amusing Joan?" Cuddy questioned before taking a sip of the hot, bitter liquid she just poured.

The woman rose and folded her paper neatly and placed it upon the table out of the reach of Rachel's curious fingers and turned towards Cuddy.

"You, little miss, must have had one hell of a night." She laughed as she walked towards Cuddy carrying her empty coffee cup towards the sink.

"Oh yeah, what makes you think that?" Lisa's eyes shifted towards Joan as she began to wash out her cup.

"I don't know, maybe the fact that you have been fluttering through this house all morning long as though you were in LaLa land; or maybe that it is going for ten o'clock and you usually leave by seven. You are NEVER late m'dear." She winked and laughed at the expression of shock that slapped and plastered itself upon Cuddy's face as she glared upon the ticking clock above.

In dismay, Cuddy quickly kissed Rachel goodbye and gathered her belongings before rushing out the door and making a quick dash for her car. Her mind erased all thoughts that didn't pertain to getting her to the hospital on time and being prepared for her meeting in an hour. House was shoved far into the dark corners of her mind; that was until at 10:25 am, when he came crashing down upon her once more.

* * *

Cuddy inhaled a deep breath as she parked her car in the lot; despite road repairs and heavy traffic she made it to the hospital with enough time to spare before the meeting. She was relieved to know that she was 100% prepared and took a moment to relax her mind. Her body leaned into the comfort of the cushioned seat and she closed her eyes.

Something happened within that moment, and that something made Cuddy's eyes shoot open and her heart to begin pumping wildly against her chest. Panic rushed through her like a tidal wave at the memory that was just released.

It was a flashback of the incident that occurred one year ago, when House's hallucinations were out of control; especially the time when he had imagined the pair having sex. Her pulse began to race at the thought of what he did to her the next day; how he hounded her and tormented her until finally announcing to the entire hospital that the two were involved. Of course he was sick then, it was all just a hallucination; but damage was still done. The shame and embarrassment Cuddy was put through, plus the danger her reputation was placed in put Cuddy in a tough situation. Though now it was a completely different story, they really were together this time. Cuddy's mind exploded in all the possibilities she might face once walking into the hospital doors; of course she began preparing herself for the most extreme situation. With a few deep breaths she exited her car and began to make her way towards the entrance.

* * *

She held her breath and closed her eyes as the sliding doors opened. Fear ran its' course through her veins as to what waited before her when she opened her eyes again.

_Was it going to be a huge banner strung across with some obscene message spewed upon it? Perhaps he was secretly recording their lovemaking and it was now playing on every T.V within the hospital. Or maybe he just made sure he told every single person (dead or alive) of what happened last night._

Whatever it was, Cuddy was sure she was doomed.

Stepping forth, she opened her eyes as she held on to the last remaining bits of courage she possessed. Those crystal blue eyes poured over the scene before her; they shifted left, then right, up, down, center and soaked in every possible corner that they could reach. The sight before her was completely and utterly…

NORMAL?

Confusion struck her for a moment; this was not what she expected. Slowly she made her way towards the head nurse's station where a young redhead sat behind. Beth McTeer smiled sweetly as she caught glimpse of the approaching boss. Though her main job was a triage nurse, over the years she had slowly become more of Cuddy's assistant; for she would keep record of appointments, schedules, issues and of course House's whereabouts for the rather busy administrator.

"Good morning Dr. Cuddy." Beth spoke softly as Cuddy leaned against the counter.

"Thanks Beth. Are there any messages for me?" Cuddy returned the smile, trying her best to be the strong, calm woman that everyone assumed she was.

"Um…" The young girl glanced down at some notes before her. "Nope, nothing as of yet. Just so you know the oncology meeting is going to be held in conference room 4A today. Unfortunately the A/C in the bigger conference room still isn't working properly. Is that okay with you?"

"What?" Cuddy was lost in thought for a moment but quickly regained herself. "Oh. Yes, yes that is fine. I'm just going to get some things from my office and head up there." She turned slightly as though she were going to walk away, and then suddenly turned back around again.

"By the way Beth, did you see Dr. House around at all?"

The girl shot up a glance of concern at Cuddy's question; she knew all too well that when questions about Dr. House were brought up that it meant he was causing trouble, or attempting to cause trouble for her dear boss.

"I know he came in very early, but I haven't seen him myself. Do you need me to page him?"

Cuddy shook her head. "No, just find out where he is and what he is doing, please. I don't need him for anything important, I just need to know that he is…"

"Staying out of trouble?" Beth finished the uncompleted statement with a smile crossing her lips.

"Yes" Cuddy smiled in returned. "Exactly and when you do find out please come and let me know; even if I am still in the meeting."

Feeling more at eased Cuddy made her way towards her office. Beth was rather surprised to be told to interrupt a meeting, and for a moment she sat silently wondering with great curiosity exactly what Dr. House had done this time; for surely it must be really big if Dr. Cuddy wanted to be taken out of a meeting.

* * *

Eight doctors muffled themselves about the small, yet comfortable, conference room; each one trying to secure a seat and to gather their paperwork together before the meeting began. Dr. Wilson was off to the side pouring a glass of water when he caught Cuddy's image through the window pane. His eyes glanced at the clock, 10:55; for being Cuddy, she was late.

She quickly walked in, though the doctors were too busy chit-chatting to notice; only Wilson noticed that something was amidst.

"Are…are you okay?" He said handing her a glass of water. Wilson had a talent for picking up on certain things, and his inner gut was telling him that something was definitely not right.

"Is it that obvious?" She whispered as she placed her folders upon the table.

"Your face is very pale, your hands are shaking." He stopped and sighed. "What has House done this time?"

"Have you seen or heard from him today?" She asked, her brow crinkling in despair.

"Come to think of it, no. I haven't seen him at all today, which is rather unusual. I haven't heard from him since yesterday. What is going on, Cuddy?" His curiosity had peaked; yet he was also very concerned for he never saw her out of sorts like this.

"We have to get this meeting started, I'll tell you later." With that she turned her attention to the remaining doctors and cleared her throat to make them aware of her presence. "Good morning everyone let's begin so we can get out of here before lunch." She smiled as everyone began to sit down and the meeting officially started.

The meeting seemed to drag on for an eternity, and Cuddy was having a hell of a time trying to keep track of the issues while her mind continued to freak out over House. No one seemed to notice her though, that is except Wilson. Numerous of times he caught her trailing off into her own thoughts while the doctors verbally battled over this issue and that issue. Cuddy was lucky that she was at least paying half attention to the arguments, and from time to time she would interject before the problems escalated; though to Wilson it was obvious she didn't want to be there.

One hour through the meeting Wilson saw Cuddy's head shift towards the direction of the large glass panes that viewed the hallway. Just outside Beth stood; she seemed hesitant to knock and instead shifted her weight back and forth from each foot anxiously deciding what to do. Cuddy rose up and interrupted Dr. Martin's speech on the effects vs. benefits of a new chemo drug.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." She said and immediately left the room leaving Dr. Martin speechless for a moment before he resumed his rant.

Wilson watched intensely on the two women outside; their expressions seemed to weave a tragic story. Beth seemed to be baffled and fearful, her arms moving in unison with the rhythm of her soundless lips. Cuddy on the other hand stood very still, her arms firmly planted upon the base of her hips. He couldn't see her face though and this left him very worried. After only a few moments he saw Cuddy place her hands upon Beth's shoulders, in what he could only assume was a reassuring statement on Cuddy's behalf; immediately Beth's face softened and she nodded her head a few times and then turned and left. A second later Cuddy re-entered the room and took her seat, her eyes never once shifting towards Wilson's but she seemed more aware of the conference before her.

The meeting could have possibly continued for hours if not for Cuddy stepping in and putting a sudden stop on the arguing. "Alright everyone, it is obvious that we aren't able to come to a complete agreement on this subject and we honestly do not have enough time to continue this debate. As for the question about us affording the new equipment; well with Princeton being a teaching hospital, I'm pretty sure we can get a grant for updated equipment. Also I want all information about the new drugs on my desk by Monday. Everything else we will slowly but surely get through; we'll have another meeting in a month to see where progress is heading. Anyway, everyone enjoy your lunch." She stood up putting the meeting to a close.

As everyone noisily shuffled their way out of the room, Cuddy and Wilson stayed behind. Cuddy frantically began compiling her papers as Wilson leaned against the table.

"Sooo, what in the world is going on?" He questioned.

Cuddy didn't respond, instead she quickly shoved her work into her briefcase and dashed out the door as fast as she could. All she wanted to do was to get to her office as fast as humanly possible. Wilson followed her without question. Cuddy and he had become very close friends over the years, and he was now capable of picking up her silent signals. He knew that whatever was bothering her was huge and that she needed to know she had complete privacy before revealing to him her secret. He eventually caught up to her as she boarded the elevator and the pair remained quiet until reaching her office.

* * *

Cuddy rushed into her office, threw her briefcase upon the couch and began to pace the length of the room. Wilson quickly made his way in and shut the door, just in time for Cuddy to turn around.

"What is…?" He threw his arms open in a questionable gesture.

"We slept together last night." Cuddy blurted out, her face riddled with panic

"What?" Wilson was confused and he stood still watching the frantic woman dance back and forth.

"I broke up my engagement, I told House that I loved him and we slept together last night. Now I think he is going to do something completely HOUSEish to mess this all up."

Wilson shook his head in confusion. "Alright, so let me get this straight." He began to make his way to the couch, not sure exactly what was told to him but trying to make sense of it all. "You and Lucas?"

"A few weeks ago Lucas proposed to me and I said yes." She paused for a moment, her face showed the trouble of her thoughts. "I actually told House that he proposed to me the other day." That last statement seemed more directed to her than to Wilson.

"Why did you tell him that?" Wilson asked, still confused.

"He made me so mad and I guess I lied for dramatics. I don't know why I said that; he was hounding me for information all night. At first I thought he knew because of him giving me that book; but once I found out that he didn't, telling him that became my leverage. I guess I knew it would sting worse if he thought it just recently happened." Cuddy shook her head as though she were trying to place her mind back to normal. "Anyway, that is beside the point!"

Cuddy walked over to where Wilson sat, her arms wrapped around her as though she were comforting herself. "The fact is I broke it off. Once I had time to think about it, I realized that it would never work; my heart just wasn't there."

Wilson raised a brow as Cuddy collapsed next to him upon the sofa.

"Okay, and then you and House?"

"I told House last night that I loved him, and we ended up sleeping together last night." She shifted her eyes to meet his.

Wilson's face was illuminated with happiness. It took everything inside of him to stop him from squealing with excitement at that news; though the large, clownish smile sweeping across his face revealed his joy.

"Don't even start Wilson!" Cuddy scolded seeing that her friend was almost dancing in his seat at the news.

"I can't believe it! This is amazing! So it is official that you two are going to try this? This is definitely a dream come true!"

Cuddy rolled her eyes at that statement and shoved her face into her hands not sure if she should cry or laugh; but wanting to do both.

"Okay. Okay." Wilson chuckled. "So what was going on with Beth? Did she find something out?"

Cuddy raised herself up, there was so much adrenaline rushing through her that she couldn't keep still. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you." She crossed her arms as she gazed down upon Wilson.

"Try me."

With a deep sigh she explained the bizarre incident. "Beth says that he has apparently been in the clinic all morning long; and has in fact seen almost every patient in there."

"Oh no." Wilson replied, knowing that whenever House was even near that clinic it meant disaster. "So what did he do this time? I'm sorry Cuddy. I'll definitely help out with all the paperwork and complaints that will be hitting your desk shortly."

"That is just it. There was none." Cuddy responded creating an expression of disbelief to fall upon Wilson's face. "Beth checked all the records and skimmed through the patient surveys; there was nothing but compliments about House. Apparently he practically gave Mauve a heart attack for how wonderful he has been working. And you know that nurse hates it when I send him down there; that poor woman practically tears me a new asshole every time I place him on clinic duty."

Wilson laughed. "Oh God what did you do to him." He rose up, the boyish smile still glowing upon him while he shoved his hands in his pockets. "This is indeed something, so what do you want me to do?"

Cuddy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know; maybe talk to him. You know House, I know House and together we both know that despite how wonderful he could be that there is always this mischievous, little demon lurking somewhere inside him that tells him to do bad things."

"Well we can always call an exorcist." His suggestion caused Cuddy to glare coldly at him. "You know perhaps you are making this out to be more than it is. Perhaps he is honestly trying to prove to you that he wants to change. Perhaps you should trust him; I mean isn't that what you are suppose to do in a relationship? This is new territory for the both of you. You are living a brand new reality, Cuddy; it is time to actually start realizing that what lies ahead of you and House is a great change."

Wilson's words stung at Cuddy's heart. She felt foolish and ashamed at herself; for didn't she last night beg House to trust her with his leg. Part of her knew that she was wrong, yet her brain was logical and told her that she was justified to worry. She simply shrugged her shoulders. "I know, but you do understand that we are talking about House here. I…I…" She became speechless and felt herself finally defeated.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll talk to him and make sure he understands the situation." His words brought a shimmer of hope to cross over Cuddy's eyes and for the first time since she arrived at the hospital a smile actually kissed her lips.

"Thank you." She smoothly whispered.

"But first can I say that I'm am over the moon about you two. I want details." He stopped once realizing what he was saying and re-phrased his words. "I mean I don't need any details about what happened between the sheets; but I do want to know…"

"Wilson, just go and talk to him." Cuddy laughed while extending her arm towards the door.

"Will do boss, will do." He said bashfully and made his way to find the man of the hour.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	3. Intervention

Chapter 3

**Intervention**

Chase, Foreman and Taub sat outside House's office; each one possessing a look of disbelief upon their faces. As Wilson approached he found the trio silently staring as though they were lobotomized zombies.

"What is going on?" He asked as he drew closer to the three.

"The fucking Apocalypse that is what is going on." Foreman responded, the other two shaking their heads in agreement.

Wilson's brow rose in question. "What are you talking about?"

"House. You wouldn't believe what he is doing in there." Chase said finally breaking his stare to glance up at Wilson.

"Try me." Was his response and he found that this was going to be his typical reply for the remainder of the day whenever House was in question.

"Well as you know we had a patient in here yesterday." Taub chimed in. " Apparently, as with almost all of House's patients, once we finally know what is causing the problems and can give a defiant diagnose, House basically washes his hands from the case. We, typically, are left to make sure the patient re-covers and is sent upon his or her merry way.

Wilson nodded his head for him to continue.

"Anyway…" Taub continued. "Not only did House check in on the patient; he was actually genuinely nice to the guy."

"And for the icing on the cake, he is currently in his office finishing up all the paperwork pertaining not only to that case but actually to the last five cases we had. He is basically saving us weeks of paperwork." Chase finished.

"We have come to the conclusion that either, A: Due to the tragic events of yesterday, House's heart, like the Grinch, had grown three times its' size. B: He is suffering from a brain tumor or some sort of injury to the head that is conflicting with his personality. Or, C: The end of the world is coming as we know it and House is the first sign of the Apocalypse." Foreman spoke in a very monotone voice. "We have all agreed that C is the best answer."

Again the other two shook their heads in silent agreement. Wilson laughed, though he too seemed rather shocked at this news.

"I'm going to check in on him; I'll just leave you three to ponder the wonders of the universe some more." He chuckled to himself as he made his way through to House's office.

Wilson rather enjoyed knowing the truth behind House's strange behavior; indeed he was usually the first to always know what went on between the pair. Though now his greatest challenge was to appear to House as though he knew absolutely nothing; which was very hard to do, since House was notorious for ALWAYS knowing when someone is hiding something from him.

* * *

As he entered the office, the sight of House made Wilson stop for a moment; his mouth dropping at the image. There House sat expeditiously scribbling down notes as they related to the case at hand; his eyes shifting back and forth from his computer to the file before him. After a minute or two he finally shifted his gaze up to a bewildered Wilson.

"Well good afternoon sunshine!" House sang. "Didn't your mommy ever tell you it isn't polite to stare, or stand there with your mouth wide open?" His eyes shifted upwards in thought and a devilish smile crossed him. "Or to think naughty thoughts of the hot babysitter…"

Before House could continue on with his whirlwind fantasy, Wilson interrupted him. "What are your doing for lunch?"

"Your mama." House snickered as he signed off on his final paper.

"I figured we head out to _Hole in the Wall_ for lunch? My treat!" Wilson's brow cocked as he gazed down towards his friend.

At that suggestion, and the fact that House was already suspicious, he dropped his pen and leaned back into his chair; his arms wrapping behind his neck and he took a moment to study his colleague.

"Sure." Was his reply as he dropped his reading glasses upon the desk and quickly grabbed his cane. He knew something was up, but being House he wasn't going to pass on a free meal.

Making his way pass Wilson he craftily turned around and jerked his head forward motioning towards the door. "Come on slow poke, you don't want to be overtaken by a cripple now would you?"

Wilson followed House out to the hall where the trio of doctors still sat in awe. As he approached them, their eyes widened as though they were caught in a spotlight.

"Meeny, Miny, and Mo." House called to his dumbfounded minions. "Take the day off, you all have worked _**so **_hard and deserve a break." His voice cooed at them as though they were precious children. They remained frozen, and House began to laugh as he turned towards Wilson.

"What was that all about?" Wilson questioned as they began to walk towards the elevators.

"You mean those bubbling baboons? Nothing…" There was laughter in his wicked eyes. "Can't a man be generous once in awhile?"

"House you are never generous; and when you appear to be there are always consequences."

House laughed as they boarded the elevator. "Nah, I refuse to believe such nonsense."

* * *

Once House disappeared from view, Taub rose deciding to taking advantage of the offer and get out of the hospital as fast as he could.

"Where the hell do you think your going?" Foreman's voice boomed with authority.

Taub turned around, shrugging his shoulders in a confused manner. "What? He said we can have the rest of the day off."

" Yeah HOUSE said that; which means that most likely he is up to something. Seriously, when was the last time he ever told any one of us that we worked hard?" He became silent for a moment waiting for a reply but didn't receive one. "Exactly. NEVER! So in order to make sure that his foolish plans of fucking around with us don't happen, I propose that we just stay here and work."

"I'm with Foreman." Chase proclaimed as he rose to stand at Foreman's side. "There is something brewing in the air; most likely he up to something, I definitely believe it would be in our best interest to just stay and finish our work. Perhaps even do some overtime?"

"Perhaps we better scan over all those files House has been working on. Don't forget they have OUR names on all of them." Foreman muttered as Taub now finally drew closer.

"Oh come on. Seriously? That would take the entire day. " Taub moaned

"I don't give a shit if it takes the next two weeks. I'm not getting screwed this time." Foreman snapped back.

With a heavy sigh Taub joined the other two and they solemnly marched back into House's office; their heads hung low, but they were determined not to be made the fools…

If only they knew that they already were.

* * *

_The Hole in the Wall_ was one of House's and Wilson's regular places to eat; but House knew that Wilson was up to something. Wilson was a man of routine; and though he assumed that he could easily trick House, his actions always defied him; especially since he always had a horrible habit of "treating House to lunch" whenever there was issues in question. For example, if Wilson needed to find out information from House, Wilson would treat House to _The Hole in the Wall_. If the news was serious he would take him to _Perk_, the coffee house just by the hospital; and if Wilson had exciting news to tell, it would usually be _Leo's Italian Restaurant_. It was only when Wilson didn't suggest a place that House knew they would be having a typical lunch; so today House was rather excited to see how long Wilson will last before needing to question him.

It was already going for 2:00 in the afternoon and the heavy, lunch traffic was finally dying down as House and Wilson made their way into the restaurant. The pair casually made their way towards an empty booth near the window and sat down. They bullshitted for a few moments until the waitress came up to place their order.

"I'll have the triple cheeseburger with the works, a large chili cheese fry and a large vanilla milkshake, extra thick." Wilson's eyes widened at House's request; but House simply smiled figuring he should milk Wilson for a good lunch especially since he knew what was coming.

"Can you also bring a crash cart along with his order?" Wilson sarcastically asked the waitress. "Gosh House you are going to have a heart attack before we even leave the restaurant."

House simply shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say, I'm a growing boy, and anyway I'm going to need the extra energy for later." He winked at Wilson but the guy ignored him and turned his attention to the waitress.

"Um, I'll have the house salad with light Italian dressing and a sparkling water with lemon, please." He smiled kindly towards the woman and handed her back the menu. House simply sneered at him.

"What?" Wilson asked as he caught House's glare.

"A salad? Sparkling water? What does Sam have your balls under lock and key? Seriously, I declare a rescue mission to reclaim your manhood and rejoin the rest of us!"

Wilson rolled his eyes at his friend's dramatics. "No, it is just that I am trying to watch my weight and lead a healthier lifestyle; unlike yourself."

House grumbled as he fell back into the seat; his body taking up the length of the booth. "Your just one step away from becoming her man-bitch; next it will be chick flicks and scrapbooking. Why don't you just save us all the time and remarry her again; obviously she hasn't wasted her time in reattaching the ball and chain to you."

"I'll take that as your blessing if I ever do reconsider such thing in the future." Wilson smiled.

They remained quiet for awhile after that; that was until the food came, and Wilson had enough time to muster the courage to confront House about his strange behavior. House immediately dug into the massive burger; showing no care as the triple mound of meat practically exploded as he bit into it. Wilson, on the other hand, took his time to prepare his salad; but really was silently going over his approach.

A moment later, Wilson nonchalantly raised his eyes from his salad towards House and cleared his throat. "So…anything new happening in your life?" He really tried to appear as though he didn't already know, but House simply laughed at him for his failure.

"Congratulations, you actually lasted longer than I assumed you were going too; maybe you might have that same luck in bed." He smirked before continuing. "Just ask me already, enough with the charades."

"What…what are you talking about?" Wilson was busted but he attempted to save himself.

"Come on, Jimmy Boy, I'm not an idiot. Just spit it out already!"

Wilson was defeated. He leaned back into the booth and sighed heavily. "Alright, fine." He cleared his throat again. "A little bird told me that last night you and Cuddy were kind of…involved; that there is a possibility that you two are now in a relationship?" His brow rose in question.

"Quite possibly could this little bird actually be this smoking hot chick with a nice rack and a beautiful round ass?"

Wilson was unsure how to respond to that question. "Um, maybe."

House slammed his hand upon the table as a wide grin smashed his lips. "That little vixen! I knew she would be the first to blurt it out. She couldn't resist telling everyone about the amazing sex."

Wilson shook his head at House's immaturity. "Honestly she was very concerned that it would be you spreading the good news. She just wanted to make sure that…"

"That I wasn't going to cause trouble." House grumbled.

"Well you can't blame her. Your track record really isn't that perfect. Though I must say you really shocked everyone for the way you were acting today. I'm very proud of you."

House chuckled as he leaned in closer towards Wilson. "Honestly, I was going to do something…stupid. When I got to the hospital it was early, I didn't have anything really planned out and I was bored; so I stumbled into the clinic. I had figured if I saw a couple of patients then that would give me brownie points… in bed."

Wilson rolled his eyes at that coy statement. "But you didn't just see a couple of patients; you saw them all; plus you were…" He stopped and lowered his voice. "Nice. Then I hear you were checking on your own patient and working on paperwork; and you are telling me that you were bored?"

"Shocking. I know. At first it was because I was bored; then I saw everyone's reaction and realized that this is totally new territory for me; apparently me being nice scares everyone. I must say it did have its' benefits; just look at my team, they are probably still at the hospital working because they assume that I must have an alternative motive. Great, isn't it?"

Wilson was speechless for a moment and filled the empty void with forkfuls of salad; then it dawned on him about Cuddy and House. "Wait. So what about you and Cuddy? It finally happened then?" He couldn't help but smile childishly at the thought; again he held back from bouncing in his seat.

House's reaction wasn't so exciting. "For now." He shoved a handful of fries into his own mouth.

Wilson didn't really notice House's lack of enthusiasm; instead his grin just widened. "Well once you two get into the swing of things, we'll have to get together for a double date. Perhaps…"

"NO I WILL NOT SWING WITH YOU!" House obnoxiously yelled, drawing the eyes of the other patrons to glare upon Wilson with much curiosity; this scene obviously made Wilson turn three shades of red and he quickly buried his face downwards.

"I didn't mean it like that." He grumbled. "I meant that it would probably be fun to have a couple's night; that is once you and she are settled as a couple." His voice was barely audible, and he held his breath waiting for House's next snarky comment to echo through the establishment.

Unfortunately, House made no such comment. Instead he lowered his head, a strange expression swept across those fiery blue eyes; it was an internal pain. "I highly doubt that will ever happen; I'm sure this is just a passing phase." House's voice was cold as he spoke that statement.

Wilson's mouth dropped open. "What are you talking about? I thought…"

"You thought wrong, Jimmy Boy. Listen, I'm not a fool. She is probably just having cold feet, got scared and apparently did something stupid…by stupid I mean me. I'm sure by the end of the week she will be running back into _**his**_ arms and all will be right again in the world."

Wilson shook his head, refusing to believe what House was saying. "No. No. No. This isn't true…" Again House interjected without haste.

"I'm better off alone; I can't hurt anyone that way. Trust me its' for the better." With that he slapped his fork down upon the plate and it made a horrid noise as the metal clashed with the glass. "I'm done, let's go." He didn't give Wilson a chance to speak; instead he quickly got up with his cane in hand, and limped his way out of the restaurant.

Wilson sat there for a moment, confused by his friend's actions. His heart sank knowing that if something was not done immediately, then House will lose this one and only chance to be with the woman he truly loves.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the hospital, Cuddy walked into her office, her day finally over. She felt a sense of relief as she began packing up her paperwork and other belongings; for despite her panic early this morning, her day flew by as she had planned and now she will be getting home before 4. Once again she felt those same wonderful feelings whispering deep within her; she yearned to fall into House's arm, to kiss his lips, to have him inside of her. Those thoughts made her legs grow weak beneath her; so much that she leaned herself against her desk and began taking deep breaths in an attempt to recollect herself.

With her eyes closed and her mind concentrating on the flow of her breaths, she never heard the door to her office open; nor did she know that Lucas was now standing at its' entrance.

"Knock. Knock" He sang, making Cuddy's head whip up once she heard the familiar voice.

"You okay?" He asked with a soft laughter to his voice, he cautiously made his way over to her desk.

"Yes." She forced a smile. "Had to catch my breath, busy day." She felt a wave of awkwardness begin to strangle her stomach, and her heart began to pound again; though she remained calm and straightened herself up to greet him.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you again." She mumbled over her words not knowing really how to approach him now.

He sighed, his eyes showed sadness but his face was pleasant and kind. "I came to say goodbye, and to collect the ring." He shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his foot across the carpet. It was just as awkward for him as it was for her.

Cuddy's face flooded with a rush of shame; and her face cringed in a mixture of pity and embarrassment. "Of course, um…um…" She couldn't form the correct words so she opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out the tiny velvet box. Slowly she walked over to him and extended her hand that held the ring. "Here."

He hesitated a moment, but slowly reached out and took hold of the box; his fingers brushing every so gently down the side of her palm. Immediately it felt as though a veil were lifted from Cuddy's heart for a great realization had dawned upon her. She had felt absolutely nothing when their skin had touched; how could she have thought it was a logical idea to sacrifice the remainder of her days with a man who didn't ignite her body in passionate fury, nor made her heart yearn, or her soul to miss.

They stood there silently staring at each other for what seemed like forever; each one unsure how to continue on with this awkward conversation. The tension was thick in the air, and each one felt that they would suffocate if they did not speak soon.

"Listen." They simultaneously spoke; making both laugh and thus breaking the tension slightly.

"Go ahead." Cuddy encouraged.

"No, by all means, you go first." Lucas insisted.

"I just wanted to say that I'm…I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, and that it isn't that I don't care for you, I do. I just know that we wouldn't have worked." Her brow crinkled down and she crossed her arms securely around her. "I'm sorry." She sighed deeply not sure if what she said truly clarified the way she felt.

Lucas smiled weakly and shrugged his shoulders. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I will admit I was rather shocked by this; and yes I was a little hurt, but I have had enough time to think about this and I feel that it was best thing for the both of us." He paused for a moment and laughed gently. "You know my grandmother use to always tell me that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you won't know what that reason was until years later, but not matter what there is always a reason for the shit we go through." Again he smile and leaned himself comfortably against her desk. "I know what the reason is now. Your right, this wouldn't have worked. I deeply care for you and Rachel; but I realized that I was really just acting out the motions. I'm not prepared to settle down yet; I don't think that I am truly ready for that kind of responsibility. I was fooling myself that I was. As for you, well I know that you cared about me; but I wasn't what your heart wanted. I just hope that this taught you that sometimes it is better to follow your heart instead your mind."

"I'm sorry." She really had nothing else to say in response; she didn't know what to say, but she knew he was right.

He sighed. "Like I said, you have nothing to be sorry for. I don't regret this experience at all; the only thing I am sorry for was betraying you."

She laughed softly but her eyes held a confused expression. "You didn't betray me."

"Yes I did. The moment I saw you and House together I knew that you two shared this amazing chemistry. Your eyes would illuminate every time he was near you. I'd figured if I acted more like him that you would fall for me, and you did. I mean you can't blame me; I saw this absolutely amazing hot, intelligent, wild woman before me and I knew that if I didn't leap on the first chance to be with her that would miss out on the opportunity for good. I convinced myself that I could become that man you so desperately yearned for and then some; but what I failed to realize was that your heart had already been stolen. House is a complete dick and he doesn't deserve you; but in the end I know that he was and is the only man that could ever truly make you happy."

Cuddy smiled and embraced him. "You are seriously the sweetest man alive." She whispered in his ear.

"So does this mean we get to make out now?" He chuckled and she pushed him away from their tender embrace.

"On second thought, I would like to retract that last statement." They both laughed.

"So how long will you be in Vegas for?" She questioned.

"I don't know. It was only going to be for a week, but with the current events that took place, I think that I will be spending more time there. It is time for a change, and I know there are a lot of opportunities there for me. Besides, my stuff is already packed; thanks to you." He winked at her and smiled.

"Please have a safe trip and call to let me know how you are doing." They both began walking towards her office door.

"And you take care of yourself as well; make sure you give Rachel a kiss for me. Please if you ever need anything, and I do mean anything don't ever hesitate to call me."

"I will keep that in mind, thank you."

He began to step out then suddenly turned back around. "Oh…and Cuddy…"

"Yes Lucas?"

"Make sure you tell House from me, that if he ever hurts you that I will personally break his other leg and he'll never have to worry about walking with a limp again." He chuckled at his lame attempt of making a threat."

"Don't worry I'll make sure he gets the message." She smiled.

"Good bye."

"Good bye."

The second that door shut behind him, Cuddy felt as though a massive weight had been lifted from her. She knew that a chapter in her life had ended and a new chapter had started. For the first time in Lisa Cuddy's life she didn't feel the need to question where her heart was leading; she knew now that it lead directly to House.

* * *

The car came to a halt as Wilson pulled into the empty parking space. Not one single word was exchanged between the two; and had it not been for House needing to constantly shuffle through the radio stations every 5 seconds, there would have been complete silence altogether.

The second Wilson shifted the car into park; House's hand had reached to open the door; only to be halted by the clicking of the locks. A curious humor captivated his eyes and he slowly looked towards his disgruntled, young friend in question. Wilson didn't return the gaze; instead his eyes were locked straight ahead and his hands still firmly planted upon the steering wheel.

House annoyingly jingled the handle once more; his action was more geared to that of a five year old child than a forty-five year old man. Wilson still did not break; the only response House could see were Wilson's knuckles slowly changing to a pale white due to him tightening his grip upon the wheel.

"As much as I absolutely love being stuck in a car, in 90 degree weather I may add, and with you; I do have some VERY important work that still has to get done. Those porn sites aren't going to look at themselves, now are they?" He jested towards Wilson.

Wilson's palms smashed against the wheel in frustration. "You're a fucking idiot House!"

House appeared undaunted by his friend's sudden burst of emotion. "So I've been told, but really must we always talk about me? It makes my ego overgrow." He rolled his eyes knowing that a lecture was going to be thrown his way.

"You are seriously set out to ruin this aren't you? You spent all these years pining over this woman, and the moment you finally get her you're willing to throw it all away because you think that you are destined to be alone! I don't get you House, you're a walking mental case!"

"Correction, I WAS a walking mental case. One stint in the institution and I'm labeled for life." He gave an overdramatic gasp. "In the words of Stephanie Tanner, 'How rude!' "

"Everything is a joke to you isn't it? What you don't see is that woman has loved you for twenty years. She has sacrificed her time, her money, her reputation, her career and everything else to make sure she never loses you. And you don't care! She has been there for you every time; in the worst moments of your life as a grown man, Lisa Cuddy was there for you."

House closed his eyes and leaned back into the cushion of the leather interior. "This is just beating a dead horse. She is going to wake up someday and realize that she made a huge mistake with me." He paused for a moment. "I rather just end it now before more damage is done."

"Do you love her?" It was a simple question, but up until now Wilson never heard his friend confess his true feelings for Cuddy.

House didn't answer; instead he kept his eyes closed and his head reclined.

"I said, DO YOU LOVE HER?" His voice rang.

"YES! YES I LOVE HER!" House's eyes snapped opened and for the first time Wilson actually saw House's true feelings. "I love her so much that I can't put her through the misery that is me. I will destroy everything beautiful that she is; I will drain her until she hates me. That is just how I am!" Evidence of tears began forming in the corners of his eyes. "She is better off with Lucas, and the sooner she realizes it the better off she'll be."

"You are right, she would be better off with Lucas. He is kind, supportive, and protective; he'll always be there for her. You on the other hand, are arrogant, rude, and selfish; and not to mention you have a drug and alcohol problem. You always need to cling on to others but just as easily push them out of your life whenever it suits your needs. You are all about yourself."

"Oh stop, your making me blush." He snipped.

"But you have one thing that Lucas doesn't have, one thing that he could never possess and the only thing that Lisa wants."

"What?" House mumbled.

"You are you. All that she wants is you. I don't understand why, but you are the only person that will make her completely happy." Wilson heavily sighed and his head bowed down. "All our lives we are brainwashed to believe what love is suppose to be like. Our parents, our teachers, our entire society makes up this illusion that love is this wonderful experience, free from hardships and pain. We are constantly looking for that magical spark that will never die, those carefree moments without responsibilities, perfection without any flaws. What you and Cuddy share is something entirely opposite of that. Your love is this backwards, upside down, completely insane mess of emotions that takes everyone who is around you for a rollercoaster ride of doom. It is unexplainable how fucked up it is; yet to me what you and her have is probably the only evidence I have ever seen of raw love; true love. I am so envious, because I know that I most likely will live out my entire life and never, ever come close to a love like that for myself."

"What about Sam?" House questioned in a curious tone.

"Yes, I care for Sam; I guess you can even say I love her, but it is nothing compared to you and Lisa. I guess the closest I ever came was with Amber, but unfortunately…"

"Yeah, yeah I know, I had to go ahead and kill her for you. Did I ever mention that I was sorry for that?"

Wilson lifted his eyes. "It wasn't your fault. Listen, I will not be lecturing you anymore on this subject; I just have one final thing to say to you. As God as my witness, if you break her heart over your inability to finally let yourself be happy; if you hurt her like that, because you are a selfish beast, I swear to you House you and I no longer friends. I will make it my mission to make sure you ARE alone for the rest of your life. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." House retorted, his eyes widening from the raw threat he had just received. Wilson did have a point, and House knew it. He only just got her and he was already preparing himself to lose her. Somewhere, deep within the voids of his soul, he knew that he must begin to make an honest attempt at making this work. The locks of the car were lifted and House didn't hesitate a moment longer to escape.

* * *

As he made his way back to his office, Larry the janitor was passing by, and House stepped into his way of passage. The old man grumbled at House's sight but he stopped despite wanting to run the man down with his cart.

"What do you want Dr. House?" He growled.

"Listen do you think you can gather some of your comrades and go up to the rooftop? There is something I need you to do, and quickly."

The man sighed heavily. "Are you serious? What now?"

"On the helicopter pad, I kind of sprayed painted 'GH hearts LC' in very big red letters. I'm going to need you to go up there and wash that away." He reached in his pocket and pulled out two hundred dollars and handed over to Larry. "Will that compensate for your time and energy?"

"Sure will, sir!" The man ripped the money out of his hands and smiled. "Get on that right away!"

As House walked near his desk where a pile of papers were carelessly scattered, he noticed a bright, florescent pink post-it slapped right in the middle. It read…

**_My house for dinner. 7:30. You better be here!_**

**_1172 Downing Drive_**

**_-Lisa-_**

A wide grin swept upon his lips at the thought of her; and without a moment's hesitation he packed up his belongings and made his way out of the hospital. He was finally ready to honestly make this work.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
